Z[}£  i.  B.  litU  iCibrarg 


Nortlj  (taralnia  i^talp  Mnioerflity 

NA8470 

W5 


AK-Lrt.  UliU 


NA8470 
W5 


^E 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

NCSU  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/logcabinscottageOOwick 


LOG  CABINS  AND  COTTAGES 
HOW  TO  BUILD  AND  rUPNISH  THEM 


SIXTH    EDITION 


LOG  CABINS  AND  COTTAGES 

HOW  TO  BUILD  AND  FURNISH  THEM 


WILLIAM    S.  WICKS 


NEW  YORK: 

FOREST  AND  STREAM  PUBLISHING  CO. 

1908 


COPYRIGHT    1908 

Wit.  1.1  AM    S.    Wkks 


OME  recent  anthropologists  regard  the  amusements  of  the  chase,  as  cultivated  by  civilized 
men — hunting,  fishing,  and  the  like — as  "traces  in  modern  civilization  of  original  barbar- 
ism." If  there  is  any  truth  in  this  theory,  then  the  writer  must  confess  that  he  is  in  a  large 
measure  a  barbarian.  But  for  years  of  devotion  to  hfe  in  the  woods — a  devotion  that  is 
paralleled  only  in  the  religious  devotee — this  little  book  would  not  have  been  written. 
Because  the  writer  loves  camp-life,  and  wishes  to  augment  its  pleasures,  he  sends  forth  this  little  vol- 
ume, sure  that  his  effort  will  be  appreciated  by  all  those  in  whom  can  be  found  "traces  of  original 
barbarism."  The  theme,  Log  Cabins  and  Cottages,  How  to  Build  and  Furnish  Them,  may  savor  a 
little  too  much  of  the  technical  and  practical.  But,  then,  as  the  most  beautiful  and  fragrant  flowers 
and  delicious  fruits  have  their  roots  in  the  soil,  so  all  the  higher  and  more  ethical  pleasures  and 
benefits  are  in  civilization  rooted  in  the  practical  and  technical. 

If  in  the  desire  for  a  return  to  the  woods  you  discover  elements  of  an  uncivilized  condition,  that 
is  no  reason  why  you  should  go  to  the  woods  in  a  barbaric  fashion.  The  modern  representative  of 
city  life  must  not  dream  of  going  to  the  woods  and  living  like  a  savage  "in  caves  and  dens  of  the 
earth,"  nor  must  he  attempt  to  assume  the  remoter  "arboreal  habits"  of  the  "hardy  biped."  As  man 
has  brought  with  him  from  barbarism  to  civilization  traces  of  his  original  condition,  so  he  must  take 
back  to  "the  forest  primeval"  some  traces  of  his  civilization.     There  is  one  obvious  difference  be- 

50016 

Liibrary 
W,  C,  State  ColleR« 


twcen  our  remote  ancestors  and  ourselves.  They  lived  in  caves  and  dens,  hunted  and  fished,  because 
of  necessity  and  inability  to  live  in  any  other  way.  We  migrate  to  the  woods,  hunt  and  fish  from 
choice;  we  go  for  change,  recuperation,  pleasure,  health.  We  aim  to  treasure  up  energies  in  order  to 
better  sustain  the  tension  of  civilization.  Health  is  imperative,  and  demands  a  dwelling  in  the  woods 
in  many  points  resembling  a  civilized  one. 

Camp  structures  may  be  classified  as  temporary  and  permanent.  The  temporary  include  the 
various  forms  of  "shelter"  illustrated  and  described  on  pages  42  to  45 ;  the  permanent,  that  class  of 
buildings  made  with  more  durable  materials  than  the  "shelter" — such  as  stones,  logs,  slabs,  shingle 
or  bark.  The  temporary  class  of  structures  is  referred  to  only  because  in  almost  every  case  a  shelter 
must  precede  the  permanent  structure. 

The  choice  of  material  for  a  camp  is,  to  a  large  extent,  a  matter  of  taste,  expense  or  convenience. 
In  the  judgment  of  the  writer  no  material  equals  the  log,  and  no  cabin  or  cottage  looks  so  well  as  one 
built  of  logs.  One  essential  of  a  log  cabin  or  cottage  and  its  furniture  is,  that  as  far  as  possible  they 
should  be  made  on  the  spot  and  with  the  material  at  hand. 

Location  of  Camp. — The  location  of  the  camp  will  be  determined  by  considerations  of  health, 
taste,  pleasure  and  convenience.  Health  is  paramount.  Be  sure  that  your  structure  is  on  elevated 
ground,  away  from  swale,  swamp  and  boggy  land.  Good  water  is  indispensable.  Get  as  near  as  pos- 
sible to  a  small  swift  running  brook.  Failing  in  this,  be  sure  that  you  have  a  spring,  or  can  secure 
good  water  by  digging  a  "pocket"  or  hole  in  the  ground  for  a  reservoir. 

In  a  lake  site  a  little  sheltering  bay  is  desirable;  it  will  give  protection  to  buildings  and  boats. 
The  water  should  be  deep  enough  for  a  good  boat  landing,  and  at  the  same  time  have  a  shelving  and 

8 


sandy  beach  for  an  occasional  bath.  It  is  full  as  well,  however,  to  have  the  sand  beach  a  short  distance 
from  the  camp,  to  give  a  chance  for  a  little  exercise.  In  rowing  or  walking  before  and  after  bath. 

In  selecting  a  site,  beautiful  scenery  Is  not  to  be  Ignored.  Those  who  regard  the  sporting  Instincts 
in  man  as  relics  of  barbarism  inform  us  that  the  love  of  scenery  Is  one  of  the  distinguishing  charac- 
teristics of  the  civilized  man,  and  that  it  is  only  within  the  last  two  hundred  years  that  man  has  learned 
to  love  rocks,  hills,  woods,  mountains,  lakes,  seas  and  clouds  for  their  own  Intrinsic  loveliness;  and 
that  even  now  the  taste  for  scenery  on  a  large  scale  Is  confined  to  comparatively  few  races,  and  com- 
paratively few  persons  among  them.  In  selecting  your  camp  site,  choose  a  commanding  position. 
You  should  be  able  to  see  long  distances  over  water  as  well  as  over  a  succession  of  hills  and  moun- 
tains. Certainly,  the  camping  regions  abound  in  so  much  beautiful  scenery  that  it  would  be  a 
shame  If  any  but  the  most  delightful  points  were  selected. 

Be  sure  that  In  the  near  vicinity  of  your  camp  you  have  straight  timber  suitable  for  building 
purposes.  Should  your  location  be  on  a  lake  shore  or  river  bank,  however,  It  may  be  possible  for  you 
to  float  your  logs  from  a  distance.  These  and  similar  considerations  must  guide  you  In  locating  your 
camp. 

Having  selected  your  site,  the  next  thing  Is  to  study  It.  Mark  well  Its  commanding  and  beautiful 
views,  its  back-ground,  the  fore-ground.  Study  It  as  you  would  a  painting,  for  out  of  your  site  and 
its  environment  must  grow  your  building  plan.  Indeed  the  structure  should  be  the  outgrowth  of,  and 
harmonize  with  the  site,  so  that  when  your  work  Is  completed  the  structure  shall  be  a  new  object 
added  by  the  hand  of  man  to  perfect  and  beautify  its  surroundings;  and  the  whole  when  viewed  shall 
produce  an  agreeable  effect,  like  harmony  In  music  and  rhythm  In  poetry.     Hence  the   difficulties 


attending  the  choice  of  a  building  plan.  As  every  man  needs  to  be  measured  to  get  a  perfectly  fitting 
garment,  so  every  building  site  needs  to  be  considered  to  get  a  perfectly  suitable  cabin  or  cottage. 
The  sketches  found  in  this  volume  are  susceptible  of  many  changes  and  combinations  with  others. 
Some  of  them  may,  like  a  ready-made  coat,  fit  you  fairly  well;  still  they  are  only  intended  to  assist 
in  formulating  your  ideas. 

To  obtain  the  best  result  secure  the  aid  of  a  professional  architect,  one  skilled  in  woodcraft.  Give 
him  the  best  description  you  can  of  the  site  and  its  environment.  Better,  of  course,  if  you  take  the 
architect  with  you  to  see  and  measure  your  site.  Give  him  a  liberal  commission  to  make  the  drawings; 
the  percentage  should  be  a  great  deal  larger  than  the  usual  fee  for  ordinary  architectural  work.  Tell 
him  all  your  little  desires  and  whims  and  what  you  wish  to  accomplish  and  at  what  cost;  or,  if  the 
cost  does  not  enter  into  the  question,  so  much  the  better. 

Staking  Out  and  Preparing  for  Work. — Having  your  plans,  now  stake  out  the  size  of 
your  building,  so  that  you  may  know  the  distance  to  clear  off  the  ground  round  about.  Cut  down  such 
trees  as  may  be  in  the  way  of  the  structure  and  no  more,  unless  there  are  rotten  and  unsound  trees 
standing  near.     These  fell  at  once,  or  a  wind-storm  may  throw  one  or  more  across  your  building. 

If  possible  your  living-room  should  face  the  east,  south-east,  or  south.  If  it  is  your  intention  to 
build  an  ice-house,  or  store-house,  build  it  at  once,  as  it  will  serve  the  purpose  of  a  shelter  while  the 
principal  work  is  progressing.  For  temporary  convenience,  however,  it  may  be  better  to  build  a 
simple  lean-to  (see  Fig.  56)  from  the  tops  and  branches  of  the  trees  felled  to  make  room  for  the  camp. 

Found.\tions. — Do  not  be  careless  about  the  foundations;  secure  the  best  material  which  the 
vicinity  of  your  camp  will  afford.     If  you  use  posts,  select  sound  timber  from  ten  to  twelve  inches  in 

in 


diameter,  either  liemlock,  pine,  tamarack,  or  cedar.  Cedar  is  the  best.  The  hard  woods  will  do,  but 
they  are  not  as  durable. 

The  posts  should  be  cut  about  five  feet  long,  and  be  placed  in  holes  dug  in  the  ground,  at  least 
three  feet  deep,  or  deep  enough  for  the  bottom  end  of  the  posts  to  rest  on  solid  ground  or  rock.  Place 
one  post  under  each  angle  or  corner  of  the  structure  and  as  many  more  under  the  sides  and  ends  as 
are  needed.  For  instance,  if  the  building  is  rectangular,  say  twenty  feet  by  twelve  feet,  then  under 
the  twenty  feet  side  there  should  be  two  posts  between  the  corners  and  under  the  twelve  feet  side  one 
post.  After  the  posts  are  in  position  mark  one,  say  ten  inches  from  the  highest  ground,  and  cut  it  off 
square;  then  from  this  mark  its  level  on  all  the  others  and  cut  them  off  square,  in  order  to  begin  your 
first  tier  of  logs  on  a  perfectly  level  foundation. 

Cutting  the  posts  at  the  same  height  applies  when  the  logs  are  laid  according  to  the  second 
method,  shown  in  Fig.  3,  but  not  when  the  logs  are  laid  according  to  the  first  method,  or  lock-joint, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  2.  If  the  lock-joint  method  is  adopted,  the  posts  at  the  ends  of  the  building,  not 
including  the  corner  ones,  should  be  cut  off  some  four  inches  higher  than  the  others,  or  half  the 
thickness  of  the  logs  that  you  are  using,  owing  to  the  unequal  height  of  the  end  and  side  logs.  The 
tops  of  the  posts  are  cut  off  ten  inches  above  ground  to  secure  space  for  a  good  circulation  of  air 
beneath  the  floor  timbers. 

If  stone  is  to  be  used  for  foundation  piers,  dig  holes  three  feet  or  more  in  depth  and  not  less  than 
two  feet  in  diameter.  Fill  these  holes  with  small  or  broken  stones,  up  to  the  level  of  the  ground,  care 
being  taken  that  the  stones  are  well  settled  together.  Now  get  large  cobble-stones  and  place  them 
directly  on  top  of  the  broken  stone,  chinking  them  up  with  small  stone  so  that  they  will  be  well 

11 


bedded  in  place.  As  with  the  posts,  be  careful  that  the  cobble  or  cap-stones  are  high  enough  above 
ground  and  level  to  receive  the  first  tier  of  logs. 

If  the  ground  is  firm  it  will  do  nearly  as  well  to  simply  bed  large  stones  in  the  ground  and  do 
away  with  the  pits;  in  fact,  this  is  the  usual  way.  If  a  cellar  is  built  under  the  building  it  will,  of 
course,  make  the  best  foundation.  The  wall  should  be  about  eighteen  inches  thick  and  laid  up  of  the 
best  stone  that  can  be  procured  in  the  vicinity.  Use  mortar  as  directed  under  the  subject  of 
chimneys. 

Sellction  of  Timber. — The  logs  best  suited  for  building  should  be  straight,  sound  and 
uniform  in  size;  they  may  vary  from  six  inches  to  ten  inches  in  diameter.  Spruce,  pine,  hemlock, 
tamarack  and  balsam  are  the  best.  The  hard  woods  will  serve  the  purpose,  but  they  are  very  heavy 
to  handle,  especially  when  green.  The  tops  of  the  trees,  if  straight,  will  work  in  for  joists  and 
rafters.  The  first  step  is  to  make  a  careful  bill  of  quantities,  or  list  of  all  the  logs  you  will  need, 
giving  the  size  and  length  of  each,  together  with  the  place  in  which  it  is  to  be  used. 

The  bark  will  peal  from  the  trees  in  the  Adirondacks  from  the  first  of  May  until  the  last  of 
July,  or  even  later  if  the  season  is  damp,  but  comes  off  most  readily  in  the  month  of  June. 

If  you  want  the  bark  left  on  the  logs,  the  late  fall  or  winter  months  should  be  selected  for 
cutting  time. 

The  writer  prefers  the  appearance  of  the  rough  bark  for  logs  showing  on  the  outside  of  the 
structure,  the  smooth  logs  however  are  more  free  from  borers  or  insects. 

The  time  of  year  best  suited  to  building  log  cabins  or  cottages  varies  largely  according  to  the 
locality.     It  depends  on  the  snow  and  rainfall.     In  the  Adirondack  region  the  snow  is  usually  very 

12 


deep  after  December.  In  October,  November  and  December  there  is  not  the  difficulty  of  hauling  logs 
to  the  camp  through  the  deep  snow  as  there  is  later,  and  the  bark  at  this  time  clings  tightly  to  the  trees. 
While  hauling  the  logs  to  camp,  if  to  be  left  unpealed,  care  must  be  taken  to  preserve  the  bark 
intact.  If  a  chain  is  fastened  around  one  end  of  the  log  and  it  is  drawn  on  the  ground  for  a  short 
distance,  on  reaching  camp  the  bark  will  be  found  to  be  bruised  and  torn.  The  best  way  to  get  the 
logs  to  camp  is  to  secure  one  end  to  a  log  boat  and  thus  haul  to  the  skids. 

All  logs  must  be  cut  two  feet,  at  least,  longer  than  the  given  length  or  width  of  the  building.  If 
the  building  is  to  be  twelve  by  fourteen  feet,  outside  measurement,  then  the  logs  must  be  cut  fourteen 
and  sixteen  feet  long  respectively.  This  does  not  apply  when  the  logs  are  laid  as  shown  in  Fig.  3. 
There  is  in  this  case  only  one  end  of  the  log  which  extends  outside  of  the  structure,  and  for  this  rea- 
son only  one  foot  needs  to  be  added  to  the  outside  size  of  the  building  to  get  the  proper  length  of  logs. 

The  logs  having  been  cut,  they  should  be  hauled 
to  camp,  and  in  order  to  keep  them  out  of  dirt  and 
mud,  should  be  placed  on  logs,  or  skids,  as  they  are 
commonly  called  (Fig.  i).  Each  length  and  size 
should  be  placed  by  itself  ready  to  be  examined  and 
used.  Select  the  strongest,  largest  and  best  shaped 
for  the  sills  or  first  tier  of  logs.  These  should  have 
the  upper  side  hewn  or  flattened  to  a  straight  line 
from  end  to  end,  so  that  the  flattened  space  in  the 
narrowest  part  of  the  log  is  about  two  or  three  inches 
13 


FlQ.    I. 


in  width.     Use  the  utmost  care  in  fitting  the  sills  to  the  rocks 

or  posts,  so  that  the  flattened  surfaces  or  upper  sides  will  be 

level  with  each  other.   The  rest  of  the  logs  used  for  sides  of  the 

building,  or  minor  partitions,  must  be  flattened  both  top  and 

bottom;  take  one  at  a  time  to  the  building  and  place  it  on 

the   logs   already   in   position.      The   lock   joint   or   log  house 

corner  is  made  with  the  axe;  so  when  the  logs  are  placed  in 

position  the  flat  surfaces  will  come  close  together.      In  mak- 
ing this  joint  the  log  on  the  underside  is  to  be  cut  V  shape,  or  left  round,  and  the  one  placed  on  top 

is  a  reverse  V,  or  hollow,  shape  (Fig.  2).   While  being  fitted  the  upper  log  may  need  to  be  rolled  in 

and  out  of  place  a  number  of  times  before  a  perfect  joint  is  obtained. 

In  constructing  the  frame  work  of  a  building  with  the  lock  joint  the  side  and  end  logs  of  each  tier 

do  not  come  at  even  height;  and  to  obviate  this  difficulty  some  woodsmen  frame  the  timber  as  shown 

in  the  sketch  below  {V\g.  3).  When  the  logs  are  laid  in  this 
way,  each  tier  should  be  pinned  to  the  one  directly  underneath. 
To  do  this,  bore  an  inch  and  a  quarter  auger  hole  through  the 
top  stick  and  half  way  through  the  under  one,  and  drive  a  hard- 
wood pin  into  the  hole  to  secure  the  logs  firmly  in  position. 

Log  structures  are  often  made  with  hewn  square  or  rectangu- 
lar logs.  This  is  the  Swiss  or  Norwegian  way.  In  this  case  the  logs 
may  be  notched  at  the  corners,  either  like  Fig.  4  or  like  Fig.  5. 

14 


As  soon  as  the  first  tier  of  logs  is  laid,  cut  out  the  notches,  or 
gains,  and  lay  the  floor  sleepers  (Fig.  7).  These  will  be  spoken 
of  later  under  the  head  of  joist. 

Now  continue  laying  up  each  tier  of  logs,  alternating  the  butts 
and  tops,  so  that  the  wall  will  present  a  uniform  appearance. 
Make  no  particular  calculations  for  the  openings,  unless  it  be  to 
place  a  poor  part  of  the  stick  where  it  will  eventually  be  cut  away. 
When  you  have  reached  the  height  of  the  windows  and  doors  saw 
out  the  top  logs  of  these  spaces  and  lay  the  following  tier.  Then 
finish  the  openings  by  cutting  the  logs  below  the  one  already 
sawed  out.  This  may  be  accomplished  in  the  most  satisfactory  way  by  two  men  using  a  cross-cut 
saw.  The  openings  being  made,  they  will  give  you  much  more  freedom  to  work  in  and  about  the 
building.  The  door  and  window  frames  should  be  ready  to  put 
in  place,  so  as  to  nail  them  fast,  and  thus  secure  the  loose  ends  of 
the  logs  coming  to  the  openings  (Fig.  6). 

When  at  the  height  of  the  second  floor,  frame  and  place  the 
floor  joist  and  again  continue  with  the  laying  up  of  logs  to  the 
proper  height  for  receiving  the  rafters,  proceeding  in  the  same 
way  for  the  second  story  openings  as  before  described. 

Joists. — The  sleepers,  or  joists,  as  they  are  more  frequently 
called,  are  to  be  gained  and  tenoned  into  the  bearing  timbers 

15 


(Fig.  7),  and  so  placed  that  they  will  have  the  shortest  possible- 

span.     Those  supporting  the  first  floor  may  be  left  rough,  as  they 

do  not  show,  but  those  in  the  second  story  and  ceiling  will  look 

best  if  they  are  peeled.     Often  these  joists  are  made  of  hewn 

square  timbers  and  with  excellent  effect,  as  shown  in  the  sketch 

(Fig.  8). 

Select  for  the  joist  straight,  sound  trees.     The  logs  for  a 

twelve  feet  span  or  less  should  be  about  six  inches  in  diameter; 

for  a  sixteen  feet  span  eight  inches  in  diameter;  for  a  twenty  feet 

span  nine  or  ten  inches  in  diameter.     They  should  have  one  face  flattened  from  end  to  end  to  make 

an  even  surface  for  the  flooring  to  rest  on.     This  face,  in  a  twenty  feet  joist  should  crown  in  the 

centre  about  two  inches,  and  proportionately  less  for  shorter  spans;  for  when  they  are  put  in  place 

they  will  sag  sufficiently  with  their  own  weight  and  that  of 
the  floors,  to  make  them  level. 

Joist,  and  indeed  all  timbers  that  are  flattened  or  hewn 
into  shape,  are  formed  by  hewing  to  a  chalk-line  with  a  broad- 
axe.  It  is  astonishing  to  see  the  amount  of  work  that  a  skil- 
ful carpenter  can  accomplish  in  a  day  with  these  tools.  Place 
the  joist  from  two  to  three  feet  apart,  according  to  size  and 
strength.  The  joist  should  be  framed  and  placed  as  the  build- 
ing progresses.  The  gains  are  framed  in  the  logs,  and  the 
16 


tenons  are  made  on  the  joist,  as  indicated  in  the  foregoing 
sketch.  They  are  then  placed  and  pinned  or  spiked  to 
hold  them  fast  and  keep  the  building  from  spreading. 

Place  a  good  stiff  timber  directly  under  every  parti- 
tion, running  the  same  way  as  the  joist,  even  though  it  may 
make  irregular  spacing  of  the  joist  in  the  ceiling  below. 
For  openings  in  the  floor,  such  as  are  needed  for  stairs, 
chimneys,  trap-doors,  hatches,  etc.,  if  the  space  between  the  joist  is  not  large  enough,  a  joist  must  be 
cut;  and  in  this  case  a  cross-piece,  or  header,  must  be  secured  by  gain  and  tenon  or  spikes  to  the  joist 
on  either  side;  the  end  of  the  cut  joint  must  be  framed  and  secured  to  the  header  (Fig.  9) . 

Always  leave  a  little  space  between  wood-work  and  chimneys  or  smoke-pipes,  on  account  of  fire. 
Never  at  any  time  must  the  ends  of  timbers  rest  on  the  chimneys,  unless  the  brick  and  stone  are  built 
out  in  a  little  ledge  or  corbel,  to  receive  them  (Fig.  10).  If  the  wood  extends  too  near  the  flues  it  is 
liable  to  get  charred  and  then  catch  fire. 

The  Roof. — The  pitch  of  a  roof  is  the  proportion  existing  between  its  width  and  rise  of  angle; 
thus  a  third-pitch  roof  is  one  which  has  one  foot  of  rise  in  every  three  feet  of  width.  The  pitch 
should,  in  the  main,  be  governed  by  the  nature  of  the  covering, 
though  partially  by  the  taste  of  the  designer.  The  high-pitch 
roof  presents  the  best  qualities;  it  shoots  off  the  snow  and  rain; 
the  wind  will  not  blow  the  water  and  fine  snow  under  the  shin- 
gles; nor  can  it  so  easily  strip  the  roof  of  its  covering.     The 

17 


steep  roof  is,  however,  more  expensive  to  build,  be- 
cause there  is  more  covering,  and  the  timbers  need  to 
be  longer  and  larger. 

The  rafters  should  be  selected  and  flattened  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  joist,  frame  them  on  to  the 
plate-logs  at  the  bottom  end  ( Fig.  1 1 ) ,  and  bevel 
them  at  the  top  end  to  suit  the  pitch  of  the  roof. 

Place  a  ridge-board  or  pole  between  the  rafters  at 
the  top  end.  Raise  the  gable  rafters  first,  as  they  will 
serve  as  guides  in  placing  the  rest.  After  these  are  in  position,  unless  the  work  is  well  laid  out,  it  may 
be  found  necessary  to  cut  off  or  block  up  the  intervening  rafters  a  little  to  fit  the  ridge-board  or  pole, 
and  thus  make  a  perfectly  straight  roof  line.  Place  the  rafters  from  two  to  three  feet  apart.  Pin  or 
spike  them  at  the  foot  to  the  log-plates,  and  at  the  top  nail  them  to  the  ridge-board  or  pole. 

For  an  onlinary  shingle  roof  the  boards  may  be  one  inch  by  four  inch  strips,  placed  two  inches 

apart,  or  thereabouts,  to  suit  the  weathering  of  the  shingle.  If 
it  is  difficult  to  get  the  boards,  small  timber,  say  four  or  five 
inches  in  diameter,  will  answer  very  well.  Flatten  them  on 
one  side  and  halve  them  on  to  the  rafters.  Do  not  cut  the  raf- 
ters any  more  than  necessary  to  make  a  good  bearing,  because 
it  may  weaken  them  too  much  to  bear  the  heavy  winter  snows. 
Nail  these  pieces  to  place,  the  same  as  if  they  were  boards.     Let 

IS 


the  sticks  or  boards,  whichever  you  use,  project  over  the  gable  ends  as  far  as  you  want  the  roof  to 
extend,  but  not  less  than  six  inches,  so  that  you  may  be  sure  of  having  the  drip  of  the  water  fall 
away  from  the  building. 

The  roof  may  be  covered  with  different  material,  depending  largely  on  the  locality,  the  skill  of 
the  workmen,  and  the  ease  with  which  the  material  may  be  obtained.  The  shingle  roof  may  have 
a  pitch  varying  from  one-quarter  to  one-half;  sometimes  even  more  than  one-half;  but  never  less  than 
one-quarter.  A  shingle  is  technically  four  inches  wide,  but  they  vary  largely  as  actually  made.  They 
are  usually  sold  by  the  thousand,  either  in  two  half-thousand  bunches,  or  four  quarter-thousand 
bunches.  Shingles  vary  largely  in  their  length,  but  should  be  at  least  sixteen  inches  long  to  make 
a  good  roof.  For  the  lowest  pitch-roof,  lay  four  and  one-quarter  inches  to  the  weather;  other  pitches 
may  run  as  high  as  five  and  one-half  inches  to  the  weather. 

The  soft  woods,  cedar,  spruce,  pine  and  hemlock,  make  the  best  shingles.  They  may  be  made 
on  the  ground  by  the  shingle-maker,  who  splits  them  out  of  blocks  of  wood  and  shaves  them  into 
shape.     One  thousand  shingles,  if  laid  five  inches  to  the  weather,  with  no  wasters,  will  cover  one 

hundred  and  thirty  square  feet  of  surface.  The  first,  or  eave  course 
of  shingles,  is  usually  laid  double,  so  as  not  to  be  broken  off  by  the 
snow  or  ice;  at  the  peak  there  should  be  a  ridge-board  placed  to 
cover  the  top  ends  of  the  last  course  of  shingles.  This  may  be  a 
ridge-pole  made  from  a  small  log  about  four  inches  in  diameter, 
cut  out  V  shape,  to  fit  the  pitch  of  the  roof  ( Fig.  12).  A  well- 
made  shingle  roof  has  an  average  life  of  about  fifteen  years. 

19 


Shingles. — The  gables,  or  indeed  the  entire  sides  of 
the  cabin,  may  be  enclosed  with  matched  or  ordinary  boards 
nailed  to  upright  pieces.  Ihese  pieces  should  be  placed 
about  sixteen  inches  apart,  and  be  held  in  position  by  a 
plate  nailed  to  the  top  ends.  The  boards,  in  turn,  may  be 
covered  with. shingles,  the  same  as  the  roof.  A  lining  of 
building  paper  will  help  to  keep  the  cabin  warm.  A  good 
effect  may  be  made  in  the  outside  finish  of  shingle  work  by 
making  the  corner  posts  of  rough  timbers  or  logs,  setting  the  upright  pieces  or  studding  flush  with 
them  on  the  inside.  This  will  simply  make  an  upright  log  corner.  The  second  story  may  be  made 
of  slabs  or  half  logs,  as  directed  under  head  of  partitions,  but  the  ordinary  log  way  is  the  most  satis- 
factory of  all ;  it  looks  well  to  see  the  horizontal  logs  extending  up  the  gables  to  the  peak  of  the  roof. 

B.ARK.  Coverings. — Bark  may  be  easily  peeled  only  when  the  sap  is  well  up  the  tree.  The 
woodman  simply  cuts  or  girdles  two  rings  around  the  tree  from  four  to  six  feet  apart,  with  one  verti- 
cal cut  connecting  them;  starting  from  this  cut,  and  prying  away  on  either  side,  little  by  little  the 
whole  cylinder  of  bark  may  be  removed.  The  bark  is  much  the  best  when  taken  from  large  trees, 
for,  when  flattened  out,  if  from  a  small  tree,  it  is  apt  to  split  and  break.  After  the  bark  is  peeled 
it  may  be  laid  on  the  ground  to  dry  for  a  few  days,  after  which  i^  may  be  flattened  out  by  the  weight 
of  a  few  stones  or  logs  placed  on  top.  After  drying,  the  bark  may  be  cut  and  used  in  the  same  gen- 
eral manner  as  shingles,  or,  as  is  more  common,  it  may  be  laid  in  strips  about  four  feet  long  and  as 
wide  as  the  circumference  of  the  tree  from  which  it  is  taken. 


When  a  roof  is  laid  of  these  long  pieces,  the  bearing  poles  are  laid  horizontally  and  about  two 
feet  apart;  the  bark  is  then  laid  cross-wise  with  a  lap  of  six  inches  (Fig.  13).  This  roof  does  very 
well  for  a  temporary  shelter. 

Thatch. — The  thatched  roof  must  of  necessity  be  steep ;  it  should  be  built  at  an  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees,  or  at  one-half  pitch.  If  it  is  greater  the  straw  will  slide  out,  and  if  less  the  rain 
will  not  run  off  freely. 

The  rafters  should  be  placed  as  for  an  ordinary  roof,  but  if  the  lathing  to  which  the  thatching 
is  bound  is  small  and  weak,  they  must  be  placed  closer  together.  The  lathing  strips  are  made  of 
round  poles  about  one  inch  in  diameter,  placed  horizontally  at  right  angles  to  the  rafters  and  about 
seven  inches  apart.  Sawed  strips  of  boards  may  be  used  instead  of  poles,  though  they  would  be 
weaker  and  would  not  last  so  long. 

Before  putting  on  a  straw  thatch  the  material  should  be  thoroughly  soaked  with  water  and 
straightened  so  that  the  straw  will  lie  all  one  way.  Begin  forming 
the  eaves  by  binding  on  the  first  course  to  the  roof  sticks  in  bundles 
*  about  four  inches  thick  and  twelve  inches  wide,  with  hemp,  or, 
better  still,  tarred  cording.  This  cord  is  passed  by  means  of  a 
large  needle  through  the  straw  at  the  upper  end  of  the  bundles  and 
tied  around  the  laths,  where  it  will  be  covered  by  the  following 
course,  each  strip  advancing  to  the  ridge  is  made  to  overlap  the 
preceding  one  as  in  shingling,  though  the  space  of  straw  exposed 
at  the  butt  is  much  greater.  When  the  strips  are  placed  from 
21 


eaves  to  ridge,  comb  the  straw  out  straight  with  a  wooden  rake  and 

finish  ofi  the  ridge  liy  plating  the  straw  together.     Cut  the  eave  ends 

of  straw  oli  stjuare  and  straight,  and  lay  the  hips  in  a  similar  manner 

to  the  riilges.     The  cave  board  or  pole  should  be  at  least  strong 

enough  to  bear  the  weight  of  a  ladder  with  a  man  at  work  upon  it 

while  laying  the  first  course  of  thatching. 

A  thatched  roof  presents  the  best  appearance  of  all  (Fig.  14), 

but  there  are  so  many  little  knacks  in  its  construction  that  it  is  difficult 

for  an  amateur  to  build  one  successfully;  but  when  thoroughly  and  skilfully  made,  one  will  last  for 

twelve  years  and  frequently  much  longer. 

Floors. — Now  that  the  roof  is  on  and  the  cabin  generally  closed  in,  comes  the  question  of  floors. 

Spruce  or  pine  flooring  one  inch  thick  and  six  inches  wide,   matched  and  planed,   is  good  enough. 

Flight  or  nine  inch  boards  are  often  used,  but  when  they  are  as  wide  as  this  the  shrinkage  is  sufficient 
to  open  the  joint  and  let  the,  air,  dust  and  dirt  through. 

Plane  the  floors  on  both  sides  to  make  a  smooth  ceiling;  or  lay  the 
floors  in  two  thicknesses,  the  first  thickness  with  smooth  side  down, 
plane  diagonally.  When  buying  your  flooring  be  sure  and  get  the 
boards  of  the  right  length  to  work  to  advantage,  also  be  sure  that 

J^l        -^5*—^—   every  piece  is  sound  and  perfect  before  leaving  the  mill,  so  that  there 
■  11    il    H    11  X  is  nothing  to  be  wasted  when  it  reaches  camp. 

Inside  Partitions. — These  are  made  in  a  variety  of  ways  and 
22 


are  placed  after  the  flooring  is  laid.     The  simplest  and  perhaps  the  most  satisfactory  manner  of 
making  such  a  partition  is  with  matched  boarding  (Fig.  15). 

If  a  particularly  smooth  job  is  wanted,  have  the  boarding  planed  on  both  sides  before  leav- 
ing the  mill.  A  cleat  about  one  inch  square  with  the  corner  taken  off  should  be  nailed  to  the 
ceiling  or  to  ceiling  beams  at  the  top,  and  to  the  flooring  boards  at  the  bottom,  care  being  taken  that 
they  are  in  line.  The  matched  boards  are  then  cut  the  proper  length  and  placed  in  position,  driving 
the  matching  as  tightly  together  as  possible,  but  without  nailing,  save  an  occasional  tack  nail,  which 
should  be  taken  out  at  completion.  Place  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  boarding  the  same  sort  of  a  cleat 
as  mentioned  above,  and  the  partition  is  completed.  When  partitions  are  built  in  this  way  the  cracks 
which  occur  from  shrinkage  of  boards  may  be  entirely  cor- 
rected by  driving  the  boards  together  and  putting  in  an 
additional  piece  to  fill  out  the  space  at  the  side  of  the  room. 
If,  however,  the  matched  boarding  is  not  over  five  inches 
wide,  and  fairly  dry,  it  is  safe  enough  to  use  but  one  cleat 
and  toe-nail  to  the  flooring  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  par- 
tition, and  so  also  at  the  top,  unless  it  should  be  found  con- 
venient to  nail  to  the  side  of  a  timber  or  joist. 

A  Second  Jl'ay. — Use  unmatched,  planed  or  not  planed 
boards,  and  nail  a  vertical  piece  or  batten  about  two  inches 
wide  and  one  inch  thick  over  the  joint  (Fig.  16).  In  this 
case  the  boards  should  be  nailed  firmly  at  top  and  bottom, 

23 


or,  if  it  should  be  desirable  to  build  so  that  the  joint  shrinkage  may 

be  taken  up,  as  in  the  first  example,  then  nail  one  batten  to  the  edge 

of  each  board  only,  and  proceed  as  there  directed. 

J  Third  H' ay. — Use  slabs  (Fig.  17).    These  are  usually  wasted 

or  sold  for  fuel  by  the  mills.     Place  them  vertically  and  alternately, 

as  shown  in  the  sketch,  and  nail  firmly  at  top  and  bottom  and  to 

each  other 

If  it  is  impossible  or  difficult  to  get  slabs,  a  substitute  may  be  made  by  halving  logs  and  using  in 

the  same  way  as  the  slabs.   This  will  make  a  stronger  and  better  looking  partition.   The  only  difficulty 

is  the  splitting  of  the  log.    This  is  done  so  seldom  that  the  ordinary  workman  hardly  knows  how 

to  proceed,  and  therefore  thinks  that  the  difficulty  is  in- 
surmountable. Still,  there  is  not  so  much  hard  wood 
connected  with  it  as  one  would  suppose.  The  log  to  be 
divided  is  placed  on  strong  saw  horses.  These  horses 
should  be  about  three  feet  high,  and  at  a  distance  apart 
to  accommodate  the  length  of  the  log,  which  should  be 
wedged  in  place  to  keep  it  from  rocking;  the  workman 
then  strikes  a  chalk  line  from  end  to  end,  gets  on  top 
of  the  log  and  saws  it  in  halves  with  a  large  frame, 
or  muley  saw,  as  shown  in  Fig.  18,  or  with  a  heavy- 
bladed  single-handled  saw. 
24 

Library 
N.  C.  State  College 


Fio.  19. 


The  muley  saw  should  be  about  two  inches  wide  and  four  feet  long,  fastened  and  stretched  in  a 
good  stout  frame.  With  a  full  set,  sharp  saw,  a  good-sized  log  may  be  cut  very  quickly.  Of  course, 
the  better  the  workman  the  less  amount  of  dressing-up  there  will  be  afterward.  If,  however,  the  saw 
should  run  a  little,  and  the  cut  face  be  rough,  a  few  strokes  of  the  broad-axe,  adz  or  jack-plane  will 
soon  bring  it  into  shape. 

Logs  cut  in  this  way  might  be  used  for  a  variety  of 
purposes,  such  as  gable-ends,  roofs,  steps,  shelves,  or  even 
for  the  outside  partitions  of  the  cabin.  We  would  cer- 
tainly advise  any  workman  who  is  engaged  in  this  kind  of 
work  to  make  the  trial. 

A  Fourth  TFay. — Place  straight  sticks  vertically 
about  two  feet  apart;  make  one  face  of  all  the  sticks  as 
true  to  a  line  as  possible;  after  securing  these  posts  top 
and  bottom  place  sheets  of  bark  on  them  horizontally,  each 
piece  overlapping  the  preceding  one  a  few  inches  (Fig. 
19),  in  the  same  manner  as  bark  is  laid  on  a  roof. 

Chimneys. — If  the  cabin  is  to  have  the  dignity  of  a 
chimney  or  fire-place,  it  should  be  built  as  the  other  work 
progresses.  Make  a  good  foundation  of  stone,  beginning 
on  solid  ground  at  least  three  and  a  half  feet  below  the 


surface,  or  on  the  rock.  To  make  a  stable  piece  of  work, 
the  foundation,  as  well  as  the  entire  chimney,  should  be  laid 
up  in  cement  mortar.  The  mortar  may  he  made  of  any  of 
the  ordinary  cements  mixed  with  sand. 

FiRr:-Fi..\i  i:s. — The  fire-place  (Fig.  20)  should  be 
made  of  fire-brick  and  the  rest  of  the  chimney  of  ordinary 
brick;  or  if  a  stone  chimney  is  preferred,  place  a  lining  of 
fire-brick  for  the  fire-place. 

The  fire-place  opening  should  seldom  be  over  three  feet 
high,  and  from  three  to  five  feet  wide,  and  have  a  deep 
throat,  so  that  the  smoke  will  have  a  good  easy  start.  The 
face  of  the  fire-place  can  be  built  either  of  brick  or  stone,  or 


both.  The  opening  should  be  arched,  or  a  lintel  placed  across  to  sus- 
tain the  masonry  above.  Build  ledges  above  the  fire  opening,  on  which 
to  rest  the  mantel  shelf.  If  the  ledges  are  omitted,  the  mantel  shelf 
can  be  supported  with  rustic  brackets. 

Be  sure  to  have  large  smoke  flues;  at  least  twelve  by  twelve  up  to 
twenty  by  twenty  inches  in  size,  depending  upon  the  dimensions  of  the 
fire-place,  in  the  place  of  brick,  sewer  tile  are  frequently  used  for  flues, 
but  a  small  settlement  will  open  the  joints  and  thus  give  the  fire  a 
chance  to  reach  and  burn  the  timbers.     Jo  prevent  the  roof  from  leak- 

2« 


ing  around  the  chimney,  on  the  upper  side,  lay  a  piece  of  tin  in  the  joints  of  the  brick-work,  the 
upper  edge  extending  under  the  shingles,  raise  the  tin  in  the  centre  so  that  the  water  will  run 
away  from  the  chimney.  At  the  bottom  side  lay  a  piece  of  tin  in  the  joints  of  the  brick-work,  the 
lower  edge  laying  over  the  shingles.  On  both  ends  of  the  chimney  lay  a  piece  of  tin  in  the  course 
of  brick-work.  Let  these  pieces  project  two  or  three  inches  from  the  brick  and  turn  down  on 
pieces  of  tin  laid  in  with  each  course  of  shingles.  These  tin  shingles  must  be  turned  up  on 
chimney  side  high  enough  to  come  under  (Fig.  21)  the  tin  placed  in  the  joints  of  the  brick-work. 
The  best  draft  is  obtained  by  extending  the  chimney  a  foot  or  two  above  the  ridge  of  the  building. 

If,  however,  the  roof  is  steep,  and  the  chimney  is  placed 
at  the  eaves,  its  top  may  be  made  considerably  lower 
than  the  ridge  pole,  but  in  this  case  it  should  be  capped 
over  on  the  top  (in  an  arch)  and  opened  at  the  edges, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  2  i. 

Smoke  Pipe.- — If  you  intend  to  have  a  sheet-iron 
pipe  for  a  smoke  stack,  let  it  go  out  through  the  roof  so 
as  not  to  make  an  extra  elbow.  At  the  shingle  line 
place  a  tin  or  galvanized  iron  tube  the  same  size  as  the. 
smoke  pipe  and  fitting  into  it  at  the  first  joint.  Let  this 
tube  have  a  flange  to  fit  the  pitch  of  the  roof.  The 
upper  edge  of  the  flange  must  be  pushed  under  a  course 
of  shingles  and  then  nailed  to  the  roof  (Fig.  22). 
27 


The  FrxNEL  Fire-Place. — This  style  of  fire-place  is  made  by 
building  a  foundation  about  eight  inches  thick  of  stone  and  cement,  of 
brick,  or  clay. 

'I'his  fire  bed  should  be  about  four  and  a  half  feet  square,  and 
held  in  place  by  a  log  frame.  About  a  foot  and  a  half  above  this 
foundation  place  a  large  sheet-iron  funnel  (Fig.  23),  say  three  feet 
in  diameter  at  the  lower  extremity,  and  taper  it  up  to  the  smoke  pipe. 
which  should  be  about  twelve  inches  in  diameter;  fasten  the  funnel 
and  pipe  together  and  suspend  both  from  the  ceiling,  the  top  end  of 
the  pipe  extending  above  the  roof.  This,  when  constructed,  will 
form  a  fire-place  open  on  all  sides.     It  will  give  abundance  of  heat,  and 

if  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  room  will 
warm  all  parts  of  it  quite  well. 

Ciii.MNEY  Thimbles. — A  sheet-iron  thimble  should  be  built 
into  the  chimney  flue  wherever  a  smoke  pipe  is  wanted.  The 
thimble  should  be  six  and  a  quarter  inches  in  diameter  and  four 
inches  long. 

Fire  Crane. — We  are  all  of  us  more  or  less  familiar  with  this 

useful  article.    It  should  be  made  of  a  good  stiff  Iron  bar  braced  to  an 

upright  piece  at  right  angles.     The  vertical  piece  should  have  pins 

Fifl.  25.  to  fit  into  sockets,  top  and  bottom,  thus  making  a  hinge;  the  sockets 


:2a(£2L 


should  be  built  into  the  brick-work  by  the  mason  while  he  is 
building  the  fire-place.  The  arm  should  extend  within  about 
six  inches  of  the  side  of  the  fire  opening,  and  have  dangling 
hooks  on  which  to  hang  the  kettles  (see  Fig.  20). 

The  Clay  Fire-place  and  Log  Chimney,  Figs.  24,   _ 
25,  26. — A  fire-place  and  chimney  of  this  variety  is  not  very 
safe  against  fire  unless  carefully  built  and  kept  in  good  re- 
pair.    There  is  certainly  no  chimney  more  picturesque.  — 

To  build,  begin  by  cutting  an  opening  in  the  logs  of  the 
building  where  you  want  your  fire-place.  This  opening  should 
be  made  about  two  feet  wider  than  you  wish  the  finished  fire- 
opening,  and  at  least  four  feet  in  height  from  the  floor  to  the  log  directly  over  the  fire  opening,  form- 
ing the  lintel  of  the  fire-place.  To  avoid  "catching  fire,  this  lintel  log  may  be  protected  by  a  length  or  so 
of  old  stove  pipe,  the  seam  in  the  pipe  being  opened  from  end  to  end  and  the  metal  sprung  to  fit  over 
the  log.  Nail  the  pipe  in  place  so  that  the  edge  on  chimney  side  will 
extend  a  few  inches  beyond  the  logs  of  the  cabin.  If  nailed  firmly  in 
place  it  will  serve  for  a  support  for  the  clay  lining  on  the  cabin  side  of 
fire-place  flue.  The  retaining  logs  forming  the  outside  of  the  fire-place 
part  of  the  chimney,  and  holding  the  clay  lining  in  place,  are  to  be  laid 
from  the  ground  to  a  line  about  two  feet  above  the  fire-place  opening  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  logs  of  the  building. 

29 


Fit  the  cabin  ends  of  the  wing  logs  of  the  chimney  to  the  cabin  logs,  and  secure  firmly  in  place 
with  wooden  pieces  or  spikes,  thus  avoiding  the  spreading  or  pushing  out  of  chimney. 

The  fire  hearth  and  linings  of  the  fire-place  should  be  made  one  foot  thick,  of  stiff,  well-mixed 
clay.  The  hearths  are  made  by  spreading  the  damp  clay  over  the  space  and  pounding  it  down  with 
a  mallet  or  maul  until  it  is  solid  and  level. 

The  linings  or  jambs  of  the  fire-place  may  be  held  in  place  while  constructing  by  a  temporary 
board  lining.  Place  one  tier  of  bottom  boards,  say  8  inches  wide,  forming  the  exact  shape  you  wish 
the  fire-place.  Firmly  brace  these  boards  in  position  and  ram-pack  the  clay  firmly  in  place.  \ow 
add  a  second  tier  of  boards  and  proceed  in  the  same  manner.  Continue  this  operation  until  the  clay 
lining  is  level  with  the  last  tier  of  logs  of  the  fire-place  part  of  the  chimney. 

From  this  level  lay  the  balance  of  the  chimney  with  smaller  logs  in  stiff  clav  mortar,  diminishing 
the  logs  gradually  until  the  top  is  reached,  where  they  may  be  about  2  inches  in  diameter.     .As  the 

work  proceeds,  line  the  flues  thoroughly  with  clay. 

After  the  chimney  is  constructed  and  the  forming  boards  taken 
away  from  the  fire-place  walls,  you  may  wet  the  surface  of  the  clay  a 
little,  and  smooth  with  a  shingle  trowel. 

The  clay  will  hold  much  better  if  a  small  amount  of  Portland 

cement  is  mixed  with  it.      The  cement  should  not  be  added  to  the 

^—-'li^  clay  until  the  moment  it  is  put  in  place,  owing  to  its  quick  lianlening 

-  fey  ijualities.      Ihc   front  hearth  may  be  made  of  flat  stone  laid  with 

I'lii.  ^H.  smooth  side  up,  su()portcd  by  a  dry  stone  wall  or  clay  pile. 

30 


Now  that  the  heavy  work  of  the  cabin  is  completed  you  can  give  your  attention  to  the  finishing 
touches,  and  whatever  may  add  to  your  general  comfort  and  the  delights  of  camp  life. 

Fraaii^s. — The  door  and  window  frames  are  usually  made  of  boards  one  inch  thick,  planed  on 
one  side,  with  the  stops  nailed  in  place  to  hold  the  sash  in  position.  The  window  sill  should  pitch 
outward  and  downward,  and  extend  over  the  log  underneath,  so  that  the  rain  will  not  run  to 
the  inside  of  the  building. 

Windows. — The  windows  may  be  made  in  a  variety  of  ways,  so  that  the  sash  will  slide  side- 
wise,  up  and  down,  or  swing  in  or  out.  But  whichever  way  you  decide  to  have  them,  be  sure  and 
get  them  storm-proof.  The  windows  that  swing  in  are  the  least  so  of  all,  and  should  be  avoided  for 
this  reason,  and  because  the  sash  would  be  in  the  way  when  open. 

Sash. — The  sash  may  be  procured  at  the  factories,  already  painted  and 
glazed.  One  and  a  half  inches  thick  will  answer  well  enough.  The  mill  people 
will  so  crate  them  up  that  there  is  little  danger  of  breaking  the  glass  in  the 
course  of  transportation. 

Fly  Screens. — Make  a  frame  just  large  enough  to  fill  the  openings,  both 
for  doors  and  windows.  The  former  should  have  a  latch  and  hinges  like  any 
ordinary  door.  Make  these  frames  of  one  by  three  inch  strips  of  wood  framed 
or  halved  together  at  the  corners.  Place  small,  triangular  blocks  in  the  angles. 
These  will  serve  the  purpos:;  of  braces,  and  keep  the  frame  stiff  and  from  sag- 
ging. Over  this  frame  stretch  as  tightly  as  possible  fine  mosquito  netting,  and 
securely  tack  it  to  the  frame.    A  small  battan  or  strip  should  be  nailed  over 

31 


the  outer  edge  of  the  cloth  and  to  the  frame,  to  permanently  secure  the 
netting. 

Window  Hinges  and  F'asteners. — Strong  pieces  of  leather,  such 
as  old  boot  tops,  will  make  good  window  hinges;  but,  of  course,  iron 
hinges  are  better.  Swing  windows  hinged  in  this  way  should  have  a  hard- 
wood bar  to  hold  them  open  at  particular  angles  (Fig.  27).  The  bar 
should  be  about  one  inch  square,  hinged  at  one  end  of  the  sash;  the  other 
end  should  have  holes  bored  through  it  to  fit  over  iron  pins  placed  on  the 
sill  of  the  window.  A  hook  and  staple  or  leather  hasp  is  needed  to  hold 
the  sash  shut.     The  ordinary  sliding  sash  needs  only  a  button  to  keep  it 

closed;  but  if  it  slides  up  and  down,  several  will  be  needed  to  hold 

it  open  at  various  positions. 

Shutters. — Each  window  frame  should  have  a  loose  shutter 

(Fig.  28),  to  close  the  building  up  tight  when  it  is  left  at  the  end 

of  camping  season.    These  shutters 

should  be  made  the  exact  size  of  the 

log  or  frame  opening.    Make  them 

of    matched     boards    with     cross- 
pieces,   nailed  with  wrought  nails. 

Take  the  corners  off  the  battens  or 

cross-pieces  and  place  them  so  that 
32 


"^M- 


they  will  just  fit  in  the  sash  opening;  put  one  long  bolt  through  the 
batten  at  each  end  of  the  shutter,  extending  through  the  side  of  the 
sash  and  shutter-bars  on  the  inside  of  the  cabin.  Place  a  nut  and 
washer  or,  better  still,  a  thumb-nut,  on  the  end  of  the  bolts,  to  draw 
the  shutter  tight  to  the  window  frame.  The  bars  should  extend  across 
the  opening  the  shortest  way,  and  be  stiff  and  strong. 

Doors. — Make  your  doors  (Fig.  29 )  of  matched  boards  with  good 
wide  battens,  top,  bottom  and  middle,  with  braces  to  keep  from  sagging.  *"^'  "''*' 

Nail  all  together  with  wrought  nails,  as  they  are  easily  clinched.  Doors  might  be  made  of 
squared  sticks  framed  together  with  braces  and  cross-pieces  of  thinner  material,  which  should  be 
shingled  (Fig.  30)  on  the  outside.  The  stick  on  the  hinge  side  of  the  door  might  extend  up  and 
down  and  form  pivots  or  shoulders  on  which  the  door  could  swing. 

Door  Hinges. — ^\  good  wrought-iron  hinge  is  the  best  that  you  can  get, 
but  failing  to  have  any,  screw  a  pivotal  stick  (Fig.  31)  from  top  to  bottom  on 
the  edge  of  the  door,  so  that  it  will  extend  into  a  round  hole  in  the  floor,  and  a 
corresponding  one  in  the  log  over  the  top  of  the  opening. 

The  bottom  end  of  the  pivotal  stick  must  not  extend  through  the  floor, 
or  if  it  does,  there  must  be  a  log  or  some  kind  of  bearing  underneath  to  keep 
it  from  settling  down. 

The  hole  at  the  top  of  the  opening  is  to  be  bored  deep  so  that  the  pivot 
or  hinge  stick  may  be  raised  up  and  slid  down  into  the  lower  hole.    The  pivot 
33 


should  be  fitted  to  work  easily  by  shaping  and  oiling.   Then  securely  fasten  it  to  the  edge  of  the  door. 

Door  P'astenings. — The  door  fastenings  may  be  made  of  wood,  and  in  principle  somewhat 
like  the  ordinary  iron  latch  (Fig.  32).  The  bar  should  be  about  two  inches  wide,  one  inch  thick, 
and  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  long.     Fasten  the  pivotal  end  with  a  screw  or  bolt. 

The  guard  should  be  strong  and  have  a  slot  long  enough  to  admit  of  the  bar  locking  and  being 
raised  out  of  the  catch.  The  catch  should  be  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick,  with  an  incline  so  that 
the  bar  will  slide  into  the  notch.  The  guard  or  (^uide  should  be  so  placed  that  the  bar  will  just 
touch  the  lower  side  when  resting  on  the  bottom  of  the  slot.  The  latch  is  lifted  from  the  outside 
by  a  leather  or  rawhide  string  fastened  to  the  loose  or  latch  end  of  the  bar  and  passing  through 
a  hole  in  the  door  some  distance  above  the  latch.  Tie  a  small  stick  on  the  outside  end, of  the 
string,  and  the  latch  is  complete. 

Caulking. — To  ensure  a  perfectly  storm-proof  cabin,  the  spaces  between  the  logs  must  be 
caulked;  but  defer  this  as  long  as  you  can,  so  that  the  logs  will  get  as  dry  as 
possible.  This  work  you  will  be  obliged  to  repeat  the  second  season,  and 
so  it  is  well  to  leave  the  general  finish  of  the  cabin  until  the  following  year,- 
at  least  if  part  of  the  finish  should  go  over  the  face  of  the  logs.  The  caulk- 
ing is  done  with  oakum  or  moss  forced  into  the  joints  from  both  sides  of 
the  logs  with  a  wooden,  wedge-shaped  chisel,  struck  with  a  mallet.  Cehient 
may  be  used  in  place  of  the  oakum  or  moss. 

Insidf.  Work. — The  face  of  the  logs  on  the  inside  of  the'  cabin  may 
be  made  to  look  quite   finished   by   hewing  the   faces   to   a   perpendicular 

.34 


plane  (Fig.  33),  which  is  done  with  the  broad-axe  as  the  worlc  progresses.  A  rough 
appearance  on  the  inside  of  the  cabin  may  be  had  by  simply  peeling  the  logs,  and"  a 
still  rougher  one  by  not  removing  the  bark. 

Wainscot,  Etc. — It  gives  a  home-like  appearance  to  cover  the  logs  on  the  in- 
side- of  the  cabin  with  matched  and  beaded  boards.  The  finish  is  neat  and  easily 
kept  clean,  but  it  smacks  a  little  too  much  of  the  town.  It  is  much  better  to  cover 
with  bark  or  shingles,  and  illustrations  of  both  methods  are  given  in  the  sketches 
(Figs.  34  and  35).    'The  shingles  or  bark  may  be  cut  in  patterns  and  thus  make  a 

good  wainscot.  If  the  inside  is  to  be  shingled,  let  the  sides  of  the  door  or 
window  frames  come  flush  with  the  inside  face  of  the  logs.  The  shingles 
nre  then  to  extend  nearly  to  the  openings  and  cover  the  joint  between  the 
frame  and  the  logs  (Fig.  36). 

Casings   may   be   made    of 
slabs   sawed   about   three   inches 
wide,  or  by  flattening  small  sap- 
lings and  nailing  them  at  the  side  ^ 
of  the  openings  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  casings.     A  wainscot  may  '"'^    h     7" 
be  made  of  shingles  or  bark  as  ^^  V^.^^-^^i^ 
above,  but  laid  in  patterns,  to  a 
height  of  six  feet  from  the  floor 
35 


and  capped  with  a  slab  or  opdinary  board  to  form  a  shelf  (Fig. 
37)  under  which  a  round  stick  or  a  piece  of  slab  may  be  placed 
as  a  molding. 

Stairs. — Make  the  supports  of  strong  timbers  and  frame  ^  ^~^j 
or  cut  the  steps  into  them.  The  newel  may  be  made  of  a  rough 
stick  and  the  rails  of  rough  poles;  the  balusters,  too,  may  be 
rustic.  The  newel  post  might  be  made  to  run  to  the  ceiling  and 
a  screen  formed  of  rustic  work  (Fig.  38).  To  do  this,  lill  in  the 
triangular  space  between  the  posts,  the  ceiling  above  and  the 
outside  supporting  timbers  of  the  staircase  with  small  branches 
placed  like  lattice  work,  or  in  some  other  geometrical  pattern. 

Window  Seat.— 


This  may  be  made  by  building  a 
frame  of  good  strong  sticks,  supported  by  rustic  brackets  or 
crooks,  the  seat  being  made  of  small  straight  sticks,  about 
one  inch  in  diameter,  laid  close  together  (Fig.  39). 

These  seats,  to  be  comfortable,  will  need  to  have  cush- 
ions made  of  some  stout  material,  such  as  heavy  canvas,  and 
stuffed  with  twigs  of  evergreen,  white  birch  bark  or  shav- 
ings. Of  course,  the  appearance  may  be  greatly  improved 
by  covering  with  bear,  deer,  or  other  kinds  of  skins. 

Beuste.ads. — Get  four  good  strong  posts  for  the  cor- 

.10 


ners,  left  with  the  bark  on;  and  to  these  either  frame  in 

or  bolt  stout  cross  and  side  pieces.    The  posts  may  run 

up  and  form  a  canopy  if  you  choose.    Lay  from  head  to 

foot  of  the  bed  even-shaped  springy  pieces  of  wood,  a 

couple  of  inches  in  diameter;  put  side,  foot  and  head 

pieces  on  top  of  these  to  keep  the  boughs   in  place. 

These  boughs  are  to  serve  the  purpose  of  a  mattress  and  *^*''  *^' 

the  sticks  are  to  act  as  springs.     If  you  want  to  use  regular  springs  and  mattress  at  any  time,  you 

have  only  to  place  them  on  the  top  of  the  frame  already  constructed   (Fig.  40).     This  frame  will 

serve  as  the  foundation  of  a  very  simple  or  an  elaborate  piece  of  furniture,  and  the  work  added 

should  be  so  placed  as  to  form  braces  and  stiffen  the  construction. 

Bunks. — Place  a  number  of  small,  even,  and  straight  poles,  about  two  inches 
in  diameter,  on  two  cross  beams,  one  beam  at  each  end  of  the  poles  (Fig.  41 ).  These 
are  placed  with  the  head  a  little  higher  than  the  foot.  The 
poles,  which  are  laid  close  together,  are  then  covered  with 
boughs  of  evergreen  to  a  depth  of  eight  or  ten  inches. 
These  boughs  should  be  small  and  pulled  off  the  limb,  not 
cut  with  the  knife,  as  the  cutting  process  leaves  the  sharp 
ends  to  stick  into  you.  The  bunk  should  be  built  at  least 
a  foot  above  the  ground  to  give  a  free  circulation  of  air. 
Chairs. — Get  two  high  posts  for  the  back,  and  two 
.37 


legs  of  the  height  of  a  seat  for  the  front.  Frame  in  cross- 
pieces,  as  in  the  bedstead,  and  make  the  seat  of  small, 
straight  sticks,  laid  close  together  (Pig.  42),  or  stretch  a 
stout  piece  of  canvas  or  deer  skin  across.  The  usual  brac- 
ing should  then  be  made  and  the  spaces  filled  with  rustic 
work. 

To  make  a  stool  get  a  log  about  one  foot  in  diameter 
and  saw  from  the  end  of  it  a  block  about  three  inches  in  thickness;  bore  three  holes  in  this  block, 
each  one  and  one-quarter  inches  in  diameter;  then  drive  pegs  or  legs  into  these  holes  (Fig.  43).  A 
back  may  be  made  by  nailing  upright  pieces  on  the  back  of  the  block,  extending  to  the  floor  and  high 
enough  for  the  shoulders  to  rest  against.  These  back  pieces  will  then  need  bracing  in  the  usual  way. 
Wood-Box. — Construct  a  stiff  frame  of  stout  round  sticks  with  smaller  pieces  nailed  on  the  in- 
side to  form  the  sides  and  bottom,  so  that  the  pressure,  of 
the  wood  will  not  force  them  off  (Fig.  44),  or  it  may  be 
made  in  regular  log-cabin  fashion,  as  shown  in  Fig.  45. 

Tables. — To  make  a  rough  table,  set  four  corner 
posts  firmly  in  the  ground,  nailing  cross-pieces  on  top,  or 
make  a  framework  like  the  bedstead.  Cover  the  top  with 
packing-box  boards  that  you  may  have  brought  to  the 
camp,  or  flooring,  or  pieces  split  out  of  soft  wood  logs; 
if  of  the  latter,  true  them  up  into  slabs.    Nail  cross-pieces 

3S 


on  the  table  legs  at  the  right  height  for  seats,  and  let  them  extend  out  each  side  of  the  top  (Fig.  46)  ; 
on  these  cross-pieces  nail  slabs  or  boards  to  form  the  seats. 

The  whirligig  table  (Fig.  47)  is  made  in  the  ordinary  way,  with  a  rustic  frame  and  a  smaller 
table  whirling  in  the  centre  on  a  pivot  stick,  as  shown  in  the  sketch.  On  this  whirling  part  you  can 
place  all  the  general  dishes  and  each  individual  may  be  able  to  help  himself. 

Pantry. — Make  a  dish  closet  or  cupboard  by  fastening  up  a  packing  box,  with  the  cover 
hinged  as  a  door;  a  catch  to  hold  it  shut  may  be  made  with  a  bit  of  leather  and  a  nail;  also,  fasten 
in  some  shelves  between  top  and  bottom  of  the  box  (Fig.  48).  This  will  make  a  place  for  keeping 
knives,  forks,  dishes,  coffee,  tea,  etc. 

Tin  Room. — In  the  larger  cabins  a  regular  tin-room  should  be  made,  say  about  seven  feet 
square.  Seal  this  on  all  sides  with  matched  boards,  and  then  completely  line  it,  floor,  ceiling,  side 
walls,  and  door,  with  tin.  This  will  be  a  storage  place  for  bedding,  blankets,  etc.,  or  anything  that  the 
wood  mice,  squirrels  or  hedge-hogs  will  gnaw,  while  you  are  away 
from  camp. 

Tongs. — Take  a  good  tough  piece  of  green  wood  one  and  a  (? 
half  inches  in  diameter  and  three  feet  long,  ash,  hickory,  elm,  or    * 
wood  that  will  bend  easily,  and  cut  the  stick  half  way  for  the 
distance  of  a  foot  in  the  centre  (Fig.  49). 

Then  heat  this  part  over  hot  coals  until  it  will  bend  together 
without  splitting.  Now  whittle  them  nicely  into  shape  and  put  a 
cross-piece  in,  and  pin  the  two  arms  together  as  shown  in  Fig.  49. 

39 


The  ends  of  the  tongs  should  be  so  shaped  that  they  will  catch  hold 
readily  of  anything  that  has  dropped  into  the  Hre,  such  as  a  piece  of 
bacon  or  pork.  The  poker  is  simply  a  round  stick,  three  or  four  feet 
long,  with  a  notch  cut  in  one  end  so  that  a  pail  or  kettle  may  be  lifted 
from  the  fire. 

To  Hang  Pails  or  Kettles  Over  the  Fire. — Drive  two  stout 
crotched  sticks,  one  each  side  of  the  fire,  and  an  additional  one  on  which 
to  swing  the  cross-stick  when  taking  a  pail  or  kettle  off  the  fire.     The  ^"I«■  48. 

cross-stick  should  be  a  good  stiff  piece,  about  two  inches  in  diameter. 

Bro(AIS. — Make  them  by  laying  hemlock  twigs  around  a  small  stick  and  binding  them  firmly 
with  stout  cord. 

Then  cut  off  the  ends  and  trim  evenly  (Fig.  5u).  Splinters,  about  one  foot  long,  cut  from  a 
piece  of  white  birch,  tied  on  in  a  similar  way,  will  also  make  a  very  good  broom;  indeed,  the  best 
of  pII  kinds,  if  well  made. 

Refuse  of  Cami'. — Dig  a  good-sized  hole  in  the  ground  in  which  to  throw  refuse  meat,  fish. 
potato  parings,  dishwater,  etc.  Every  time  anything  is  put  in  it  sprinkle  on  a  little  of  the  earth  that 
was  taken  out.     It  will  keep  away  a  good  many  bad  odors  and  not  make  an  attraction  for  the  flies. 

To  Keep  Butter  Hard. — If 
vour  camp  is  by  a  cool  stream  or 
spring,  you  can  put  your  butter,  etc., 
in  the  water.    A  very  satisfactory  cool 

40 


place  may,  however,  be  made  by  sinking  a  barrel 

in  the  ground  and  covering  the  top  with  mosquito 

netting  and  the  whole  with  a  few  hemlock  boughs. 
Ice  House. — An  ice  house  is  a  luxury  in  the 

woods,  but  where  the  encampment  is  permanent  it 

will  be  of  great  use  in  keeping  meats  and  game. 

You  can  have  it  filled  with  ice  in  the  winter  by 

your  guide.    An  ordinary  small  log  building  is  just 

the  thing,  built  half  underground  and  with  room 

enough  above  ground  to  get  in  through  a  door  in  the  gable 
end.  After  the  logs  are  laid  up  and  the  roof  is  in  place, 
spike  vertical  pieces  on  the  inside  and  sheath  with  matched 
boards.  Then  fill  the  space  between  sheathing  and  logs 
with  moss  well  rammed  to  place.  Begin  putting  the 
boards  on  at  the  bottom  and  put  in  the  moss  as  the  work 
progresses.  Two  doors,  one  on  the  inside  and  one  on  the 
outside,  will  answer  ordinary  purposes,  but  a  hollow  door, 
packed  with  moss,  will  be  the  best  protection.  Pack  the  ice 
in  moss,  or,  better  still,  with  sawdust,  if  it  can  be  procured. 
■ ,  Spring. — If  you  can  find  a  wet  piece  of  ground  near 

your  cabin,  dig  out  a  large,  deep  hole,  providing  you  find 

41 


\}^:\ 


that  it  will  fill  with  cold  water,  or,  if  you  have  a  running  brook, 
make  a  spout  out  of  the  bark  of  a  small  tree  and  so  arrange  it 
that  a  pail  may  be  placed  under  the  lowest  end  to  catch  the  run- 
ning water. 

Temporary  Shelters. — The  Indian  Camp. — This  primi- 
tive form  of  shelter  (Fig.  51)  may  be  made  by  partially  cutting 
the  trunk  of  an  evergreen  tree  about  five  feet  from  the  roots,  just 
enough  so  that  it  will  fall  to  the  ground,  leaving  the  butt  end 
fastened  to  the  stump.  Cut  off  the  boughs  from  the  underside  so 
as  to  make  a  comfortable  space  beneath.  Take  these  boughs,  and 
some  cut  from  other  trees,  and  place  them  over  the  small  tree, 
which  serves  as  a  ridge-pole,  but  with  the  small  end  on  the  ground.  "     '•  '~~  ^^wii  - 

Thus  you  will  have  a  camp  similar  to  the  sketch. 

The  Brush  Camp. — This  camp  (Fig.  52)  may  be  made  by  placing  a  ridge-pole  between  two 
trees  which  stand  about  eight  feet  apart,  then  putting  on  a  thick  covering  of  large  hemlock  boughs, 
placing  the  top  ends  down,  and  making  the  sides  conform  to  the  shape  of  a  tent.  The  shelter  may 
be  improved  by  thickening  up  with  smaller  twigs  placed  in  the  same  manner  as  the  larger  ones. 
Such  a  shelter  with  the  back  closed  similarly  to  the  sides  and  a  good  camp  fire  in  front  may  be 
made  very  comfortable. 

The  fl'igiiam. — This  shelter  (Fig.  53),  quickly  and  easily  as  it  may  be  made,  is  one  of  the  best. 
Its  steep  sides  will  stand  a  heavy  rain  without  wetting  through,  and  if  well  made  the  camp  will  be 

42 


warm  and  comfortable.  Begin  by  standing  three  poles  in  the  shape  of  a  pyramid  and  lashing  them 
together  at  the  top.  Then  add  other  similar  poles  standing  at  the  same  angle,  about  one  foot  apart 
at  the  butt  end,  and  fastened  together  at  the  top.  Omit  a  couple  of  poles  where  the  entrance  comes. 
Then  thatch  the  outside  with  evergreen  boughs,  as  in  the  brush  camp.  This  shelter  may  be  greatly 
improved  by  tying  horizontal  poles  in  the  manner  of  hoops  to  which  the  thatching  should  be  secured. 
The  Brush  Camp  Improved. — Place  two  strong  crotched  sticks  in  the  ground  about  eight  feet 
apart  and  some  six  feet  high,  with  a  stout  ridge-pole  in  the  crotch.  Now  place  stiff,  straight  poles 
from  the  ridge-pole  to  the  ground  making  a  V  shaped  frame  (Fig.  54).  These  poles  need  to  be 
about  eight  inches  apart.  Thatch  on  them  with  boughs  of  hemlock  or  cedar  laid  with  the  face  or 
feather  ends  down,  beginning  at  the  bottom  and  working  up  to  the  ridge.  If  these  boughs  are  laid 
^  about  ten  inches  in  thickness  and  weighted  down  with 

poles  on  top  to  keep  them  from  blowing  away,  you  will 
have  a  very  nearly  water-tight  shelter. 

This  kind  of  shelter  may  be  improved  again  by 
laying  the  poles  or  rafters  about  fifteen  inches  apart, 
and  tying  on  smaller  poles  horizontally  about  seven 
inches  apart,  and  making  a  regular  thatched  roof,  using 
the  hemlock  and  cedar  boughs  in  place  of  straw. 

Brush  House. — Drive  two  rows  of  stakes  in  the 
ground  about  one  foot  apart  for  the  sides  and  back  of 
the  shelter;  the  stakes  should  be  about  five  feet  high; 
43 


/"it- 


rca^^-^--- 


4''^^« 


:M: 


fill  in  between  them  with  boughs  (Fig.  55),  press  and 

stamp   them   down   and  trim   off   all   pieces   projecting 

on  either  side.     Let  the  corner  stakes  have  crotches  at 

the  top  to  support  eave  poles;  over  these  poles  place 

rafters  about  eight  inches  apart  with  butt  end  lying  on 

the  ground.     Tie  them  together  at  the  top   and  pin       ^ 

them  down  at  the  butt.     Over  the  rafters  tie  horizontal  .^ 

strips  about  seven  inches  apart.     Then  thatch  as  in  the 

^  ..  Fio.  55. 

precedmg  case. 

The  Open  "Lean-to." — Place  two  crotchcii  sticks  for  the  front,  about  seven  feet  high;  lay  a  pole 

across  these  (Fig.  56).     Against  this  cross  bar  lean  three  strong  poles,  and  secure  them  at  the  lower 

end  by  pushing  them  well  into  the  earth  or  by  pinning  them  down  with  crotched  sticks  hooking  over 

the  poles  and  driven  into  the  ground.  Over  these  poles  lay  cross  sticks  to  support  the  bark  or  brush 

covering.  /  '  y 


r^^^^i:^ 


If  the  cover  is  of  brush,  then  make  the  angle  of  the  roof  quite  steep,  and  as  soon  as  the  boughs 
are  in  place  weigh  them  down  with  other  heavy  poles  to  i<eep  the  wind  from  blowing  them  away. 

The  Bark  Camp. — This  is  the  most  common  camp  that  is  constructed  (Fig.  57).  Usually  large 
pieces  of  bark  are  taken  to  form  the  sides  and  roof,  as  is  shown  in  the  illustration.  If  the  roof  is 
steep  the  cross  poles  or  rafters  may  be  laid  close  together  and  the  cover  made  of  shingles.  The  top 
sides  of  the  rafter  should  be  flattened  to  make  good  nailing  places. 

The  Tepee. — The  framework  is  constructed  in  the  same  way  as  the  framework  of  the  wig- 
wam, but  is  covered  with  bark  instead  of  brush,  laid  on  in  courses  beginning  at  the  bottom  of  the 
frame,  each  course  lapping  the  preceding  course,  and  each  piece  of  bark  breaking  joints  with  the 
pieces  under.  When  the  bark  is  carefully  laid  and  secured  to  the  framework  with  cord  or  twigs  and 
a  flap  door  is  added  to  the  entrance,  then  this  variety  of  shelter  is  one  of  the  best. 

The  more  extensive  cabins  are  shown  in  the  following  illustrations,  and  the  cuts  speak  for  them- 
selves, aided  as  they  are  by  their  titles  and  the  preceding  general  description  of  log  houses. 

There  is  shown  in  the  second  full-page  illustration  one  of  the  most  comfortable  and  serviceable 
of  semi-open  camps.  If  possible,  it  is  built  with  the  fire  end  against  a  large  boulder;  but  if  one 
cannot  be  found  of  sufficient  size,  then  the  front  end  of  the  camp  may  be  lined  with  stone  laid  up  in 
the  same  manner  as  an  ordinary  wall.  This  rock  or  wall  fire-place  should  be  of  sufficient  width 
and  height,  so  that  when  a  large  open  fire  is  built  the  blaze  will  not  be  able  to  reach  the  logs  and 
burn  them. 

The  camp  may  vary  in  dimensions  from  eight  feet  wide  and  twelve  feet  long  up  to  almost 
any  size;  but  one  twelve  feet  wide  and  sixteen  feet  long  would  probably  be  the  best  both  for  con- 

45 


venience,  comfort  and  economy.  The  logs  are  laid  up  as  in  an  ordinary  log  cabin  to  a  height  five  feet 
above  the  ground  on  both  the  sides  and  ends.  This  will  give  sufficient  space  at  the  back  or  eaves  end 
of  the  camp.  The  sides  and  front  end  are  then  raised  to  the  height  of  the  door,  and  the  top  logs  ex- 
tended over  the  opening  on  the  sides  and  the  bowlder  in  the  front  end  of  the  camp  to  bind  the  struc- 
ture together.  The  logs  coming  under  the  top  ones  are  fitted  to  each  side  of  the  rock  which  forms  the 
fire-place.  The  roof  should  extend  from  the  back  end  of  the  camp  to  a  point  about  four  feet  in  front 
of  the  bunk.  This  will  make  a  covered  space  of  sufficient  size  so  that  the  cooking  may  go  on  and  the 
table  be  set  during  stormy  weather.  The  rafters  should  be  six  inches  in  diameter  and  be  placed  hori- 
zontally, resting  on  the  sides  of  the  camp.  They  should  be  placed  about  two  feet  apart,  and  the  one 
in  front  of  the  camp  should  be  eight  feet  from  the  ground,  so  that  a  man  will  have  sufficient  head- 
room in  the  space  in  front  of  the  bunk.  The  logs  forming  the  sides  and  ends  of  the  camp  should 
have  the  spaces  between  them  chinked  with  moss  or  closed  by  nailing  small  saplings  in  the  angles. 

The  cover  or  roof  is  made  of  two  thicknesses  of  bark,  well  lapped  and  extended  over  the  sides 
and  back,  so  that  water  cannot  drip  into  the  camp. 

To  prevent  these  camps  from  smoking  during  windy  or  heavy  weather,  the  following  precau- 
tions should  be  taken:  P'irst,  cut  only  such  trees  as  lie  close  to  the  camp.  This  will  make  a  space 
through  the  top  of  the  trees  for  the  smoke  to  rise  in,  and  the  other  trees  round  about  will  act  as 
wind  guards.  Second,  raise  the  sides  and  end  round  the  fire  nearly  as  high  as  the  peak  of  the  roof. 
Third,  make  the  smoke  opening  or  space  not  covered  by  the  roof  rather  small.  In  this  way  you 
will  form  a  chimney-like  draft  for  the  smoke.  An  additional  wind  guard  may  be  placed  over  the 
fire,  as  shown  in  the  first  full-page  illustration,  in  the  semi-open  camp. 

40 


The  fire  bed  should  be  raised  to  the  height  of  the  buni<,  not  only  to  assist  the  draft,  but  so  that 
the  heat  will  be  readily  reflected  into  the  camp.  To  do  this  a  large  log  or  a  row  of  stones  are  placed 
in  front  of  the  fire,  and  the  space  from  that  point  back  to  the  bowlder  is  filled  in  with  earth  or  gravel. 

The  usual  pole  for  hanging  pails  over  the  fire  may  be  improved  upon  by  placing  a  small  log 
across  the  fire  end  of  the  camp.  To  this  pole  suspend  long  wires,  reaching  nearly  down  to  the  fire, 
with  hooks  on  the  ends. 

The  bunk  may  be  constructed  as  described  in  Figure  41,  or  the  bearing  poles  may  be  made  of 
logs  split  into  slabs  and  laid  in  the  same  manner  as  a  floor.  On  top  of  this  the  boughs  or  sprigs  need 
to  be  placed  to  at  least  a  depth  of  ten  inches.  When  the  door  is  hung,  the  roof  made  tight,  and  the 
bunk  comfortable,  this  will  be  found  one  of  the  most  desirable  camps  that  can  be  constructed. 


l-'Tloor-Plo 


.-?-..r.;',  ;.;)i'ir    .'-';%  ^'tf'-' 


M=-nil\Un~e«,i-Ur-  o« 


',"0- 


•/  "-y-' 


So^AL     0|=a„  C=."^|=  oh   F<.ol-.|  SKll  Vv-cre.- 


ria.-  Fli-sl    Si 


HerkimtrCo  SlaltoJ  Ntwyork 


•10LJ_OW    t=Arv£:  ,  G^>'^4>'=^Sk<K 


n  -^ 


'^.'\ 


^'J^i-^-^ 


■^^ 


^s 


MS" 


».^__^        ^ 


:^> 


%.    ^    s>       m  \r  '^  ^ 

^  IBS  _  —'■v. ^"TTi 


.Mi^^.-Ji 


&^2 


u>w,-' 


-.L-nCo.  Ny 


GaTiI/^     -at  -HOL.UOVV    t>\rt£r     C3i^/^tj^IV\ 


cr-^^' 


c.. 


^.i^'m^^'^-^^^''  '  ^"" 


.Ji.  V; 


-#v^^^5E£r: 


ii'ji.t'^J^h^.^,. 


(fill      -    ~     ' 


D3e     LAV^e     MfcEKl/^-EiE  CO  ^.Y. 


Wilmuvl-    Lckt    Hamilton    Co^ 
RobeptP.   V^'lao.-.    Ov,,-,a.-  il-ohc  <5j-- Wev.^  yof-K 


ll-llrr-ior    ojCcniJa    cljock^    Lcikfc 


%  IW5;^:^^ 


.  Ti„.lf  .-    M  =  ..,t.     Wo.^i. 


M^-^ 


HEEinfeg 


ESE 


(sABl/S    m   Ms/VI^VLVi^u^l  to^    'WVZl'^O     l3«iKf:  -fcEVfc 


kTTl 


INTl  RfOfi     or     CAB>fN 


.c^" 


±j1  LliLTy 


